The Novice Buffer Has Ended

"I will, Sensei," Leo managed, and gave her a small respectful nod. "Thank you."

She smiled and gave his forearm one gentle pat before she carried her saucer over to the cleaning bay as he stood there for a second after she'd gone with the warm ghost of her fingers still on his sleeve.

'So nice…'

At the other end of the island, Elena stood by the auxiliary counter.

She had eaten an entire plate of potatoes and tomatoes daintily, with textbook boarding-school etiquette and immaculate posture, fork and knife in perfect alignment... and she had cleared every last speck of sauce off the ceramic.

Leo walked past her to grab a clean cloth from the pantry.

As he crossed her path, she hesitated with her fingers tightening on the edge of her empty plate.